Data storage devices such as disk drives comprise a disk and a head connected to a distal end of an actuator arm which is rotated about a pivot by a voice coil motor (VCM) to position the head radially over the disk. The disk comprises a plurality of radially spaced, concentric tracks for recording user data sectors and servo sectors. The servo sectors comprise head positioning information (e.g., a track address) which is read by the head and processed by a servo control system to control the actuator arm as it seeks from track to track.
The components of the head (e.g., read element, write element, fly height actuator, etc.) are typically fabricated on a substrate of a wafer which is then sliced into individual sliders. A slider is coupled to a distal end of a suspension that biases the slider toward the disk surface. The slider comprises an air-bearing surface (ABS) wherein as the disk rotates, an air-bearing is formed between the slider and the disk that counteracts the bias force of the suspension. Accordingly, the head essentially flies just above the disk surface during write/read operations. The suspension is coupled to the actuator arm so that as the actuator arm rotates about the pivot, the slider is actuated radially over the disk surface. The initial geometry of the suspension may cause and undesirable pitch static attitude (PSA) and/or roll static attitude (RSA) at the slider air-bearing surface. Prior art techniques have attempted to adjust the PSA and RSA of the suspension by laser etching sets of parallel lines (horizontal and vertical relative to the length of the suspension). However, further improvement in PSA and RSA adjustment is desirable.